Week 11 vs Falcons
Kendrick Bourne is coming off his best game as a Patriot with 98 receiving yards with a touchdown and 43 rushing yards. He's still hovering only around 3-4 catches a game, but he can explode for a big one at any time. He's a risky play, but certainly boom or bust on a short week against a very up and down Falcons defense that just got shredded on Sunday.
Week 7 vs Jets
Kendrick Bourne saw just two targets against the Cowboys. But he sure made one of those targets count. That was the 75-yard touchdown just before the two-minute warning to give the Patriots the lead after Trevon Diggs' pick-six. But overall, Bourne has three or fewer targets in four of six games this season, partly due to Mac Jones spreading the ball around and partly due to being behind Jakobi Meyers in the pecking order on the outside. He just cracks our top-50 receivers, but he's a boom or bust play even in a week with almost a third of the league sitting out.
Week 9 vs. Green Bay Packers
Kendrick Bourne was targeted 10 times against the Seahawks last week, catching eight balls for 81 yards. With Deebo Samuel likely to miss at least another game, Bourne has a chance to see significant targets again this week against the Green Bay Packers, who rank fifth in aFPA to opposing wide receivers.
Bourne has some extra upside, because Green Bay coverage demon Jaire Alexander will likely be following rookie Brandon Aiyuk around. That might leave Bourne as a nice secondary option and 10 targets isn’t outside the realm of possibilities again. The Packers are tough against wide receivers, ranking fifth in aFPA to the position this season, but Bourne should benefit from negative game script and attrition on the roster. He has sneaky PPR value in deep leagues as a WR3 option.
Update: Looks like Bourne is a COVID list candidate, so be sure to get him out of your lineup unless things change before game time.
Week 8 at Seattle Seahawks
Kendrick Bourne had only one target last week against the Patriots, but he stands to see an increase in snaps and targets with Deebo Samuel out of the lineup again. Bourne has some upside this week in a great matchup with the Seattle Seahawks, who rank dead last in aFPA to opposing wide receivers. He averaged 5.33 targets in the three games without Samuel earlier this season, and if he gets that work again, he could be a sneaky desperation play in deep leagues in this matchup. He’s risky, and not worth carrying in most leagues, but there’s some upside if you absolutely have no other option.
Week 1 vs. Arizona Cardinals
Kendrick Bourne should benefit from the absence of Deebo Samuel, but its risky to bank on him, even in a good matchup. Fantasy owners should stick with Kittle in this 49ers passing game.
Week 17 at Seattle Seahawks
Kendrick Bourne had just two catches and 29 yards against the Rams last week. He continues to be a touchdown-dependent fantasy option with very little production outside of his five trips to the end zone this season. That’s difficult to bank on in any given week, even in a pretty good matchup against the Seahawks – Bourne scored a touchdown the last time these two teams faced each other. With Bourne being too risky to count on, fantasy owners should leave him on waivers for the final game of the season.
Week 16 vs. Los Angeles Rams
Kendrick Bourne was held to just one catch and 11 yards last week against the Falcons. He has been touchdown-or-bust this season, with just three games over 31 yards, and while his five touchdowns have come in the past seven games, he’s simply too risky to bank on in the vast majority of fantasy leagues. Owners should leave him on waivers this week with a tough matchup against the Rams.
Week 15 vs. Atlanta Falcons
Kendrick Bourne scored two touchdowns last week but he only gained 18 yards on three receptions. He’s clearly won the third WR job, which is good, but he’s very touchdown-dependent as a fantasy option. He’s scored five times in his last six games, but he’s yet to eclipse 43 yards in any of them. His season-high is just 69 yards back in mid-October against Washington. Bourne is too risky to trust during the playoffs, and fantasy owners should leave him on waivers and let someone else worry about whether he’ll find the end zone or not week-to-week.
Week 14 at New Orleans Saints
Kendrick Bourne had three catches for 42 yards last week against the Ravens, and while he definitely seems to have earned the WR3 role on the team, the 49ers simply don’t put up enough passing numbers to sustain more than one fantasy receiver. While Bourne has been productive at times, he’s very touchdown-dependent and his production isn’t consistent enough to warrant rostering in the vast majority of leagues. Leave him on waivers.
Week 13 at Baltimore Ravens
Kendrick Bourne came back to earth last week against the Packers after scoring a touchdown in three straight games. He ended up with just two catches for 27 yards. Bourne was third among 49ers receivers in snaps however and was on the field for 50% of the team’s offensive plays. It was good to see him clearly out-snap Dante Pettis and Richie James, not to mention Marquise Goodwin being a healthy scratch. Still, the 49ers don’t throw enough or effectively enough to trust the third receiver on the depth chart – and at least the fourth receiving option with tight end George Kittle around – so fantasy owners should leave him on waivers in all league formats.
